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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-18242

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it plans to publish its International Education Strategy, as set out in the Scottish Connections Framework.

Question reference: S6W-18145

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the college sector since 1 April 2023.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and I have engaged frequently with the college sector and its key stakeholders since 1 April 2023. This has been done through in-person meetings, visits, online meetings and written communication.

Ministerial Engagements

24 April – Visit to Sabhal Mór Ostaig

2 May – Letter to Ronnie Smith, Chair of New College Lanarkshire

3 May – Meeting with Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland

3 May – Visit to Borders College

4 May – Letter from Cabinet Secretary to Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland

9 May – Meeting with a number of senior leaders from the college sector including college chairs and principals

9 May – Meeting with Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland; Angus Campbell, Chair of College Sector Finances; and Audrey Cumberford, Vice-Chair of Colleges Scotland Board and Chair of the College Principals’ Group

9 May – Meeting with Audrey Cumberford, Principal of Edinburgh College

10 May – Meeting with representatives from EIS FELA

17 May – Visit to West Lothian College

Additionally, a number of Scottish Government officials have engaged with stakeholders within the college sector through college visits and stakeholder meetings both in person and online.

Question reference: S6W-18143

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its vision for the college sector.

Question reference: S6W-18147

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what target number of full-time equivalent (FTE) places in colleges it has set in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-18141

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the independent review of the skills delivery landscape.

Question reference: S6W-18033

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many places for nursing students were provided at Scottish universities in each of the last 16 years.

The nursing student intake targets by academic year are listed in the following table.


Academic Year	Intake target (excluding OUiS)	OUiS Places	Total Intake
2006-07 ( 1)	3,125		3,125
2007-08	3,083		3,083
2008-09	2,815	25	2,840
2009-10	2,853	23	2,876
2010-11	2,853	23	2,876
2011-12	2,580	20	2,600
2012-13	2,310	20	2,330
2013-14	2,370	20	2,390
2014-15 ( 2)	2,770	20	2,790
2015-16	2,845	20	2,865
2016-17	3,007	20	3,027
2017-18 ( 3)	3,149	26	3,175
2018-19	3,462	36	3,498
2019-20	3,656	93	3,749
2020-21	3,834	102	3,936
2021-22	4,052	110	4,162
2022-23	4,413	123	4,536

1. In AY 2006-07 SFC took over responsibility for funding the previously commissioned pre-registration nursing and midwifery education that had been directly funded by the Scottish Executive Health Department. SFC allocated funded places for new cohorts of student only, with the new funding arrangements being embedded in AY 2008-09.

2. From AY 2014-15 the previously non-controlled Honours pre-registration nursing and midwifery provision was made a controlled subject, with intake targets and specific controlled funded places (for new entrants) being allocated to the providers for the first time.

3. From AY 2017-18 SFC no longer allocated funded places for new pre-registration nursing and midwifery students from the rest of the UK following the end of the reciprocal agreement.

Question reference: S6W-18034

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to expand routes into nursing studies.

The Scottish Government alongside a wide range of stakeholders including health and social care partners, NHS Education for Scotland, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and Skills Development Scotland, is taking forward work to develop alternative career pathways into nursing including potential apprenticeship models and other ‘earn as you learn’ routes. These pathways have the potential to widen access into the profession to those individuals wishing to pursue a career in nursing but may not choose the undergraduate route and to those individuals already employed in NHS Boards or the care home sector, allowing people to study and work at the same time whilst accessing education to progress their career. We already know that many Healthcare Support Workers are seeking career progression and some have entered the second year of an undergraduate programme after being supported by their employer and the Scottish Government to complete an HNC whilst working. We are exploring what more can be done to showcase these routes for existing staff whilst also attracting new employees to our NHS by enabling them to understand the opportunities available to develop and progress towards registered roles.

NHS Lothian are currently piloting a traineeship approach with HEI partners for new staff and early indications show high levels of interest and staff retention.

Question reference: S6W-18103

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any research or risk assessment informed its recent decision to withdraw the extended face mask and face covering measures across health and social care settings.

The Scottish Government has a robust process in place for creating, updating and removing COVID-19 guidance.

In April 2023, the Scottish Government commissioned Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland to review the current evidence and provide an update on the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Scotland. This information supported Scottish Government to evaluate whether it was proportionate to maintain the face mask/ face covering guidance, to make changes to the guidance or to withdraw the guidance at this time. ARHAI’s review recognised that Scotland continues to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and recommended that the Scottish Government withdraw the extended face mask and face covering measures across health and social care settings.

This recommendation was supported by Scottish Government Professional Clinical Advisors in Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC).

The Scottish Government also has a Professional Advisory Group of experts from across the health and social care sectors who were asked to give their expert opinion on the recommendation to withdraw the guidance and were supportive of this change.

The Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Medical Officer, National Clinical Director and other Health and Social Care Directors were content with the advice based on the ARHAI Scotland review, the expert opinion of IPC and health and social care advisors, and consideration of the current pandemic context.

ARHAI Scotland, the Professional Advisory Group for health and social care, and clinical directors are all in agreement that it is appropriate to withdraw the extended use of face mask and face covering guidance. This withdrawal means reverting to pre-pandemic infection prevention and control guidance, which is current and long-standing, and outlines the appropriate personal protective equipment to wear in the instance of any respiratory infection.

Question reference: S6W-18138

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting colleges to educate and train students in a financially sustainable manner.

Question reference: S6W-18109

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking following the warnings from Argyll and Bute Council’s Trading Standards and Home Energy Efficiency Team to householders that there are traders operating in the local area who are offering home energy products and are incorrectly claiming to be working on behalf of the local authority.